Fish that Start with F

The perfect letter for fishy names – F. You could argue that all fish have names that start with F… if you just keep calling them all “fish”. There are actually some fab names (and fab fish) in our list, so keep reading on to find out more!

Each type of freshwater and saltwater fish mentioned in our post has both the common and scientific name. The scientific Latin name helps us to identify a particular fish, as across the world, there are many many common names! Latin is a “dead language” so having the genus and species for each breed of fish means that they can be classified correctly in any country. Also, if you learn these Latin names, you will sound very knowledgable.

Our Top 5 Fish Names Beginning with Letter F

Like we said, we found some fabulous, freshwater fish that start with F and here are our favorites. Was that enough ‘F’s for you?

We’ve chosen our top 5 fish because they are great for keeping in your aquariums at home. They all have their own characters and ways of living, so here’s a little more information on what each fish likes.

Fairy Cichlid (Neolamprologus brichardi)

Sadly this fish does not have wings or grant wishes, but it is very pretty. Fairy Cichlids are light in color with a slight sheen of pink and blue and they look very elegant and sweet. However, these cichlids can get a bit feisty and aggressive, especially if they are protecting their fry. The Neolamprologus brichardi is better off kept in a species tank, rather than a community one.

The Fairy Cichlid likes a mix of fresh and frozen food, so this should be the majority of its diet. Their tank should contain some rocky structures, perfect for mimicking its wild Lake Tanganyika habitat.

Featherback (Chitala ornata)

The Chitala ornata is actually a nocturnal fish that lives in tropical river basins across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Featherbacks grow to be very big – around 1 metre, so are really best suited to the largest tanks. Despite the name, there are no feathers on this fish (shame) but it does have a uniquely-shaped, tall body and a rather small head in comparison. This shape is what inspires another common name for this fish – Knifefish.

Figure Eight Pufferfish (Tetraodon biocellatus)

This cute spotted thing might just be our favorite fish starting with F. Figure Eight Pufferfish are a great addition to a freshwater tank as they are so entertaining to watch. Growing to around 8cm, these little pufferfish bring a spot of color to your aquarium and since they are quite peaceful, they can be kept with various other fish. Don’t add too many tank mates, as your Figure 8 puffer might not tolerate too much company.

Just like saltwater puffer fish, this little dude will fill with air and puff up when scared or feeling threatened.

Fire Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica)

The Fire Goby looks like it came from another planet! This alien-like fish is very unique but quite beautiful at the same time. They are peaceful fish who normally live in coral reefs and sand burrows, so they do like their marine aquarium to mimic their sea bed home. The Fire Goby can also be referred to as a Fire Dartfish, a name inspired by its long dorsal fin.

Frontosa Cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa)

Cichlids make great pets and these Frontosas are no exception. Also known as Humphead Cichlids because of their bumpy foreheads, these fish like plenty of space to swim, but also require somewhere to shelter. They grow up to around 25 cm so need to be kept in a larger tank. Frontosa Cichlids can be kept with other Tanganyikan cichlids, but they may eat smaller fish, so be aware of this when choosing tank mates.

List of fish names starting with F

If those five favorite fish weren’t quite enough fun for you, then keep reading to see our lists of both freshwater and saltwater fish. If you can’t spot your pet beginning with F, let us know in the comments below.

Freshwater fish beginning with F:

• False Bumblebee Catfish (Leiocassis stenomus)
• False Moray (Chlopsis bicolor)
• Fathead Bichir (Polypterus weeksii)
• Feather-Barbel Catfish (Opsodoras stubelii)
• Featherfin (Hemigrammus unilineatus)
• Featherfin Synodontis (Synodontis eupterus)
• Festivum (Mesonauta festivus)
• Fighting Loach (Nemacheilus notostigma)
• Filament Tetra (Bryconaethiops microstoma)
• Fingerfish (Monodactylus argenteus)
• Fire Bar Danio (Devario maetaengensis)
• Fire Eel (Mastacembelus erythrotaenia)
• Fire Stingray (Potamotrygon henlei)
• Fire Tail (Epalzeorhynchus bicolor)
• Fire-Tailed Gudgeon (Hypseleotris galii)
• Firemouth Cichlid (Thorichthys meeki)
• Five-Banded Barb (Barbus pentazona)
• Five-Bar Cichlid (Neolamprologus tretocephalus)
• Five-Spot African Cichlid (Thysochromis ansorgii)
• Flag Cichlid (Laetacara curviceps)
• Flag-Tailed Catfish (Dianema urostriata)
• Flag-Tailed Corydoras (Corydoras robineae)
• Flagfish (Jordanella floridae)
• Flagtail (Kuhliidae sandvicensis)
• Flame Tetra (Hyphessobrycon flammeus)
• Flat-Whiskered Catfish (Pinirampus pirinampu)
• Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
• Flier (Centrarchus macropterus)
• Florida Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus)
• Fly River Rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sexlineata)
• Fly-Speckled Hardyhead (Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum)
• Flying Fox (Epalzeorhynchus kallopterus)
• Forehead Brooder (Kurtus indicus)
• Fork Tailed Lamprologus (Neolamprologus furcifer)
• Four-Barred Tigerfish (Datnioides quadrifasciatus)
• Four-Eyed Fish (Anableps sp.)
• Four-Spine Cichlid (Neolamprologus tetracanthus)
• Four-Stripe Julie (Julidochromis regani)
• Freiberg’s Peacock (Aulonocara jacobfreibergi)
• Freiberg’s Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara jacobfreibergi)
• Freidrichsthal’s Cichlid (“Cichlasoma” freidrichsthalii)
• Freshwater Barracuda (Ctenolucius hujeta)
• Freshwater Bat Fish (Myxocyprinus asiaticus)
• Freshwater Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
• Freshwater Hatchetfish (Carnegiella marthae)
• Freshwater Moray Eel (Echidna rhodochilus)
• Freshwater Ray (Potamotrygon hystrix)
• Freshwater Shark (Glyphis glyphis)
• Frogfish (Antennarius striatus)
• Frogmouth Catfish (Chaca chaca)
• Fusilier Fish (Caesionidae [Family])

Saltwater fish beginning with F:

• False Brotula (Parabrotula plagiophthalmus)
• False Cat Shark (Pseudotriakis microdon)
• False Trevally (Lactarius lactarius)
• Fangtooth (Anoplogaster cornuta)
• Fathead Sculpin (Cottunculus microps)
• Fierasfer (Carapus sp.)
• Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)
• Finback Cat Shark (Eridacnis radcliffei)
• Firefish (Nemateleotris decora)
• Flabby Whale Fish (Cetomimus gillii)
• Flagblenny (Emblemaria atlantica)
• Flagfin (Latropiscis purpurissatus)
• Flashlight Fish (Anomalops katoptron)
• Flatfish (Pleuronectiformes [Order])
• Flathead (Platycephalidae [Family])
• Flounder (Paralichthys albigutta)
• Flying Fish (Parexocoetus brachypterus)
• Flying Gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans)
• Footballfish (Himantolophus groenlandicus)
• French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
• Frigate Mackerel (Auxis thazard)
• Frilled Shark (Chlamydoselachus anguineus)